Wolf Pack Win Streak Ends in Lewiston

Mar 2, 2014

Lucas Lessio had two goals and an assist, and Brendan Shinnimin also scored twice, to power the Portland Pirates to a 5-1 win over the Wolf Pack Sunday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.

The Portland victory snapped a four-game Wolf Pack win streak, and gave the Pirates a split of a home-and-home series, after the Wolf Pack had posted a 4-2 victory over Portland the night before in Hartford.

Tobias Rieder also scored for Portland, and Mark Louis had three assists. Ryan Bourque scored the only Wolf Pack goal.

“Third game in three nights, that’s no excuse,” Bourque said. “You’re going to get three games in three nights all season long, so to come out slow like that, we can’t really have any excuse. We’ve got to be ready earlier and have to be ready from the start.”

Wolf Pack goaltender David LeNeveu (31 saves) was forced to be sharp in the first period, as the Wolf Pack were shorthanded three times and were outshot 17-6.

The only goal of the first came at even strength at 10:30. A shot by Lessio deflected wide to the right of the Wolf Pack net, but Shinnimin picked up the carom, and when LeNeveu bit on his fake, Shinnimin stickhandled around the Hartford goaltender and slid the puck into the net on the forehand.

The Pirates then quickly upped their lead to 3-0 early in the second period, with a pair of goals in a span of 41 seconds.

Rieder scored his 21st of the season for Portland at 3:56, beating LeNeveu with a backhander from a sharp angle, Rieder unloading the shot from below the right-wing faceoff dot.

Shinnimin then made it a three-goal margin at 4:37, with his second of the game on a deflection. Randy Jones prevented a Danny Syvret clearing attempt, and Jones’ shot from the right point was tipped past LeNeveu by Shinnimin.

Bourque got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard at 7:58 with a power-play goal, Bourque’s 16th tally of the season. Oscar Lindberg took a pass just inside the top of the right circle, and Lindberg’s shot hit Bourque and got by Pirate goaltender Mark Visentin (27 saves).

Portland carried the 3-1 lead into the third period, and there would be no third-period comeback for the Wolf Pack this time.

Lessio scored at 10:19 of the third to make it 4-1, after Louis sent him a drop pass on left wing for a wide-angle shot. Lessio’s second of the game at 13:11 made the final 5-1, with Lessio getting around Tommy Hughes on left wing and ripping a shot in off of LeNeveu.

The Wolf Pack’s next action is a home game this Friday, March 7, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons at the XL Center. All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.

Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger. To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.